Post by Catsmate on Feb 11, 2022 16:44:48 GMT
Unusually for me a future historical idea. Based (also unusually) on something that crossed my desk work-wise.
Just another manic Monday
At 04:321 on 21APR2036 (a Monday) Mount Fuji erupts, spewing lava and ash over the countryside and threatening the mega-city of Tokyo, less than a hundred kilometres away, and the fifteen million people living there.
Scientists had monitored the volcano for years, debating the eruptive risk while aware that Fuji was no longer dormant and that magma pressure was building in as pressure built up within the magma chamber. However given that the pressure was believed to be stable for the twenty years before the eruption the risks were played down by the non-sensationalist media and government agencies.
Of course Tokyo had an evacuation plan in place to move millions out of the path of destruction. But moving millions of people takes time, even with forward planning and a cooperative populace.
As early as the New Year the vulcanologists studying the activity of the magma noted that carbon dioxide levels in the deeper parts of the volcano were increasing. By early February 2036 carbon dioxide levels reached 6g/m3/day a level that was generally accepted as possibly indicating a risk of eruption. However such measurements were only theoretical; gas emissions cannot be measured easily as the magma production was kilometres below the surface.
While there was speculation about an eruption, the lack of detectable signs had led most people to move on to other concerns by late February.
All that changed shortly before sunrise that cool morning. The early hour meant that few people were on or near the mountain when finally erupted. On their way into the city the early morning commuters were the first to witness the plume
of ash and smoke above Mount Fuji. Minutes later the telecomms companies noticed an enormous surge in activity.
Alert sirens began to wail, waking millions still in their beds. An evacuation is immediately implemented with officials directing people to places of safety, shutting down roads and redirecting trains as lava flows over several key transport links.
The earth tremors were powerful, and brought down some older buildings, but most of the Japan is built to tougher standards and survived.
Preparation and planning showed their worth; though almost three thousand people died, and the cost was immense2. It took the Japanese nearly a year to rebuild.
Game use.
1. The classic Who plot of arriving in the midst of an evacuation and getting into trouble is obvious.
2. Who might make use of the evacuation for nefarious ends? Given the speedy evacuation lots of interesting things were left behind; cash, gold, artworks, mysterious alien artefacts. Scope for purely ephemeral criminals, as well as time travellers such as the Alexandrian Society or Harlequin.
3. Probably more interesting might be the opportunity to rummage around governmental and corporate offices while they're empty; datalinks may not have been shut down or secured, research projects, materials and notes may be accessible.
4. A deserted city to explore will appeal to a certain type of time traveller, those of a tourist bent or those interested in Dark Tourism and watching the destruction.
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1. Local time. GMT time was 19:32 the previous day.
2. About thirty billion Euro.
Just another manic Monday
At 04:321 on 21APR2036 (a Monday) Mount Fuji erupts, spewing lava and ash over the countryside and threatening the mega-city of Tokyo, less than a hundred kilometres away, and the fifteen million people living there.
Scientists had monitored the volcano for years, debating the eruptive risk while aware that Fuji was no longer dormant and that magma pressure was building in as pressure built up within the magma chamber. However given that the pressure was believed to be stable for the twenty years before the eruption the risks were played down by the non-sensationalist media and government agencies.
Of course Tokyo had an evacuation plan in place to move millions out of the path of destruction. But moving millions of people takes time, even with forward planning and a cooperative populace.
As early as the New Year the vulcanologists studying the activity of the magma noted that carbon dioxide levels in the deeper parts of the volcano were increasing. By early February 2036 carbon dioxide levels reached 6g/m3/day a level that was generally accepted as possibly indicating a risk of eruption. However such measurements were only theoretical; gas emissions cannot be measured easily as the magma production was kilometres below the surface.
While there was speculation about an eruption, the lack of detectable signs had led most people to move on to other concerns by late February.
All that changed shortly before sunrise that cool morning. The early hour meant that few people were on or near the mountain when finally erupted. On their way into the city the early morning commuters were the first to witness the plume
of ash and smoke above Mount Fuji. Minutes later the telecomms companies noticed an enormous surge in activity.
Alert sirens began to wail, waking millions still in their beds. An evacuation is immediately implemented with officials directing people to places of safety, shutting down roads and redirecting trains as lava flows over several key transport links.
The earth tremors were powerful, and brought down some older buildings, but most of the Japan is built to tougher standards and survived.
Preparation and planning showed their worth; though almost three thousand people died, and the cost was immense2. It took the Japanese nearly a year to rebuild.
Game use.
1. The classic Who plot of arriving in the midst of an evacuation and getting into trouble is obvious.
2. Who might make use of the evacuation for nefarious ends? Given the speedy evacuation lots of interesting things were left behind; cash, gold, artworks, mysterious alien artefacts. Scope for purely ephemeral criminals, as well as time travellers such as the Alexandrian Society or Harlequin.
3. Probably more interesting might be the opportunity to rummage around governmental and corporate offices while they're empty; datalinks may not have been shut down or secured, research projects, materials and notes may be accessible.
4. A deserted city to explore will appeal to a certain type of time traveller, those of a tourist bent or those interested in Dark Tourism and watching the destruction.
Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?
1. Local time. GMT time was 19:32 the previous day.
2. About thirty billion Euro.